Getting Backs, Dropping Hammers

Health care is over in the House: the Deal went down yesterday, and now what's left is the fallout. There could be consequences for Democrats who made tough votes, both for and against the bill.

The Service Employees International Union, which went on the record yesterday pledging a primary challenge to sophomore Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA), is looking at all 34 Democrats who voted "no" for potential opportunities to launch primary challenges, according to an official. Of course, not all of those districts offer a viable climate for labor-backed progressive candidates--labor won't have a strong enough presence in all those districts, and there won't be quality candidates to recruit in all of them, either--but, then again, labor encouraged Lt. Gov. Bill Halter to challenge the centrist Blanche Lincoln in the Arkansas Senate race, so SEIU's appetite for primary bids shouldn't be overlooked.